LOVE IS THE ONLY ANSWER!
Love is the only Answer!
Like many of our yearly special events and occasions, St.Valentine’s Day will be celebrated this year in lockdown because of the restrictions in place to alleviate the causes of the Coronavirus. Also in the past few years St. Valentine's day like many other special days has become commercialised. The focus on love and romance for couples can leave many people feeling left out and even lost. According to history, St. Valentine’s Day which we celebrate on the 14th February was not associated with romantic love until the Middle Ages. If you are waiting for this day to come around so that you can show your love, you are missing a part of life that should be valued for more than once yearly. So if you haven't already, instead of the emphasis on expensive displays of affection, why not take a more spiritual approach to St. Valentine’s Day and try and keep real love all the year around for real love really does set you free? The expression of love to another should not be reserved for a single day or for a special event or occasion. The celebration of real love is more about how you live each day with the one you love and care for. This St. Valentine’s Day you may well have probably either sent or received a valentine from someone. But just like many of our special celebratory days, you don't have to be held hostage to commercial interests. A true celebration of love can be so much more than an obligatory sharing of chocolate, prosecco or if you're in the money maybe champagne, or candlelight dinners, and this celebration of love doesn't require anything more than the depths and richness of your own sweet beautiful heart and soul. There’s a lot more behind it than just cards and gifts.There’s a true-life story. It’s a story that teaches us a lot about love, sacrifice, care, strength and commitment, the true meaning of St. Valentine’s Day and a meaning that we should aspire to keep all year around! Historians hopefully will be happy with me following these historic facts!!!
The Real Valentine
In the third century, the Roman Empire was ruled by Emperor Claudius II Gothicus. He was nicknamed Claudius the Cruel because of his harsh leadership and his tendency for getting into wars and abusing his people. In fact, he was getting into so many wars during the third century that he was having a difficult time recruiting enough soldiers. Claudius believed that recruitment for the army was down because Roman men did not want to leave their loved one's or families behind, so he canceled all marriages and engagements in Rome. Thousands of couples saw their hopes of matrimony dashed by the single act of a tyrant. And no one seemed interested in standing up to the emperor. But a simple Christian priest named Valentine did come forward and stood up for love. He began to secretly marry soldiers before they went off to war, despite the emperor’s orders. In 269 A.D., Emperor Claudius found out about the secret ceremonies. He had Valentine thrown into prison and deemed that he would be put to death. As Valentine was awaiting execution, he healed a blind girl who happened to be the jailer’s daughter. On the eve of his execution, with no writing instruments available, Valentine is said to have written her a sonnet in ink that he squeezed from violets. He supposedly finished the farewell note signed “from your Valentine.” Legend has it that his words made the blind woman see again. The next day Valentine was clubbed to death by Roman executioners. St. Valentine gave his life so that young couples could be bonded together in holy matrimony. They may have killed the man, but not his spirit. Even centuries after his death, the story of Valentine’s self-sacrificing commitment to love was legendary in Rome and spread worldwide. Eventually, he was granted sainthood and the Catholic Church decided to create a feast in his honor. They picked February 14th as the day of celebration because of the ancient belief that birds (particularly lovebirds, but also owls and doves) began to mate on that very day.
Concept of Love
So in writing and researching this thought for the week, it’s surprising to know that St. Valentine’s Day is really founded on the concept of love in marriage and in relationships. On this St. Valentine’s Day, what are you doing to keep the love in your marriage and your relationship's burning not just on St. Valentine's day but all year around? While giving a box of chocolates, a bouquet of flowers and cards, having a candlelight dinner, and sharing special words of love are all really important, the true spirit of St. Valentine’s Day needs to last throughout the year. So rather than focus on material gifts and exclusive relationships, why not examine the spiritual side? Remember celebrating St. Valentine’s Day was meant to be shared by everyone without exclusions. Now is the time to bring real love for everyone especially those most in need in our world back into our life today. Examine your relationships to see if you’ve been excluding anyone lately, maybe a loved one, a family member or a friend. If so, this would be a good time to reconnect and express your care and concern. Or perhaps you’ve had a falling out with someone. Let this day be a reminder to let go of past mistakes and resentments. Use your St. Valentine’s Day to symbolize real love, forgiveness, mercy, kindness and healing. In the course of a lifetime, it is the accumulation of all the little things that express that love whether that is verbally or with actions. Love has many components and every component contributes to the whole. It is not that love should be subdivided into tiny morsels but is more that love goes well beyond simply being around someone else. It involves respect, consideration, compassion, understanding, patience, going out of your way to do something that is not normally called for or expected, it is those times when you take the other's hand as you walk to the shop, or that little hug as you greet new friends. It also involves the willingness to compromise, to give in when you really know that it doesn't really matter in the long run, or that you arrange for a special dinner or that you provide the warmth and understanding that is needed at times of frustration, sorrow or pain. It is the sharing of all things that indicate that love is about a partnership where no one is better than the other, or more respected than the other. It means that you demonstrate caring not just for the eyes of others when they look but that caring is the way you are just because you care and love all the time. This expression of love does not wait for love to be offered in like kind nor does it need a particular incident or circumstance to come bursting forth. A story from my Nana Scully's prayer book will help explain as follows.....
"Value Love"
Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived: Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all of the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all constructed boats and left. Except for Love. Love was the only one who stayed. Love wanted to hold out until the last possible moment. When the island had almost sunk, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said, "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of gold and silver in my boat. There is no place here for you." Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you, Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered. Sadness was close by so Love asked, "Sadness, let me go with you." "Oh, Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself!" Happiness passed by Love, too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her. Suddenly, there was a voice, "Come, Love, I will take you." It was an elder. So blessed and overjoyed, Love even forgot to ask the elder where they were going. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went her own way. Realizing how much was owed the elder, Love asked Knowledge, another elder, "Who Helped me?" "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because only Time is capable of understanding how valuable Love is."
As a final thought, seek out opportunities to think about those people who are often forgotten on these special days. Those who are elderly, alone, abandoned, orphaned, ill, homeless or living on the edges of our society need our love too. Remember them in your giving, prayers, intentions and meditations. If you have the chance to volunteer your time, money or resources to help those in need or good charities that help so many worthy causes please make the effort to do so and do so all the year around. Express if you can more than anything for our country and world the love of real selfless charity! So, remember your relationships will have more meaning if you celebrate Valentine's Day each and every day of the year by showing your love every day! Here is a prayer I love to say now and then when love is the only answer needed - THE LOVE PRAYER - Today I remove all boundaries and walls, Once used as a means of defence, I forgive those things from the darkened past, That in love’s divine realm make no spiritual sense. Releasing all worries, all burdens and doubt, I bring light to the shadows of fear. By centering myself with a loving thought, Harsh judgments I no longer hear. The greatest experience that life has to give, Is love from an open heart, For it moves me to appreciate all there is, And I’m one with it all, not apart. It’s love that brings me closer to God, And leads me according to God’s way, Love’s light warms my spirit, it nurtures my soul, And assures me everything is okay. I am one with God and never apart, As I live this day with an open loving heart. Amen